Resuming on their overnight score of 159 runs, the Indian batsmen added 93 runs in the first session while losing three wickets here on Sunday, day four of the first Test match against New Zealand.
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The chances of a fightback look bleak with New Zealand already conceding a 215-run lead to India but wicket-keeper BJ Watling on Saturday hoped that the visiting team’s fighting spirit would inspire them to challenge the home side. Vijay and Pujara amplified that advantage into an nearly impregnable position. Tom Latham departed after adding just two runs to his tally on the third day.
However, the pressure, which was created by Ashwin and Jadeja got released.
The first to go was Latham, who was struck in front by an Ashwin delivery that went in with the arm.
Jadeja (5/73) dismissed three batsmen in one over for a five-wicket haul while R Ashwin (4/93) grabbed four wickets as the Indians spun out New Zealand early into the second session. Suddenly, New Zealand had lost three wickets in 23 balls and was in danger of collapsing. Jadeja took care of the lower middle order, despite Luke Ronchi and Mitchell Santner taking the fight to the hosts. Santner wasn’t always reading the ball well, but was stout-hearted and willing to stick through the tough periods.
For almost two sessions, the home bowlers toiled hard under the scorching sun but could not break the defence of the two New Zealand batsmen, Kane Williamson and Tom Latham. Soon Bredley Walting (21) was caught and bowled by Ashwin and the New Zealand innings folded at 262.
After two quick blows, the Kiwis needed Williamson to stay but Ashwin saw the back of rival captain with a peach of a delivery that turned sharply from outside off to hit the stumps.
Ravidra Jadeja took 5-73 to stun New Zealand on the third morning of the first test. His trajectory is often flat, but he imparts so many revolutions on the ball that it often spits like a cobra off the pitch. There were lofted shots down the ground, inside-out cover-drives, and even a reverse-sweep and an upper-cut.
Murali Vijay (14 not out) and Lokesh Rahul (38) nearly batted out the remainder of the session, before Rahul was dismissed in the last over before tea, caught at slip off Ish Sodhi.
Williamson, who came to the crease after the early wicket of Martin Guptill, put on a 117-run second-wicket partnership with Tom Latham to make major inroads into India’s first innings total of 318. A succession of long-hops and short balls found the fence with regularity, as the first 2.5 overs after tea brought 30 runs.
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The other instance of this occurring was in 2006 when Rahul Dravid and Wasim Jaffer put on 129 and 167 for the second wicket against England at Nagpur.
